Handles for hand luggage



April 12, 1955 M. KlsH, JR

HANDLES FOR HAND LUGGAGE Filed Dec. 2l. 1953 INVENTOR.

United States Patent O HANDLES FOR HAND LUGGAGE Michael Kish, Jr., Hightstown, N. J., assgnor to Atlantic Products Corporation, Trenton, N. J., a corporation of New `lersey Application December 21, 1953, Serial No. 399,330

1 Claim. (Cl. 1911-58) l This invention relates to handles for hand luggage, and pertains particularly to means for securing a handle to the luggage.

It is an object of the present invention to provlde a novel type of handle securing means which has the advantages of great strength, and ease of manufacture and assembly.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

A preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion of one type of hand luggage to which the handle securing means of the present invention may be applied.

Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

The handle securing means of the present invention may be applied to any type of hand luggage having a substantially horizontal top panel. The upper portion of one such type of luggage is shown in Figure 1. Such luggage is sometimes referred to as of the wardrobe or garment bag type of luggage because provision is made for garments to be suspended on hangers therein. Usually the walls of such bags are limp and exible so that when the bag is folded for carrying, the garments are subjected to less creasing pressures than is the case in rigid bags.

Referring to the drawings, the bag is shown as folded for carrying and a semi-rigid panel 1 then forms the horizontal top panel of the bag. The side panels 2 and 3 are limp and flexible, as are also the panel 4 and the gusset 5. The panel 1 may be made of any suitable material, as for example leather or plastic, stiffened by layer 6, 6 of suitable stitfening material such as heavy cardboard or iiberboard and reinforced longitudinally by a bar 7 preferably of steel. Preferably the steel bar 7 extends the full length of the underside of the panel, being secured thereto by rivets 8, although for purposes of this invention as hereinafter explained, the bar could be shorter if full length reinforcement is not required.

According to the present invention the reinforcing bar 7 is used for the additional purpose of anchoring the ends of the handle 9 to the panel. For this purpose, the panel 1 and stilening sheet 6 are provided with slots 10 extending therethrough transversely of and above the bar and shackles 11 which extend into end loops 12 of the handle and extend under the bar 7. Grommets 13 are inserted in the slots to protect the edges thereof, and the inner stitening ply 6 prevents the shackles from damaging the contents of the bag.

The above described handle securing means is simple and easy to assemble but is also extremely strong and durable.

It will be understood that the invention may be variously modied and embodied within the scope of the subjoined claim.

I claim as my invention:

A luggage bag comprising, in combination, a top panel, a handle having loops in the ends thereof, a straight, at reinforcing bar extending lengthwise of and engaging the underside of said top panel and parallel thereto, said bar being of substantial stiffness, said panel having a pair of longitudinally spaced and substantially centrally located slots extending therethrough transversely of and above said bar, and shackles extending into the end loops of the handle and extending through said slots and under said bar which thereby anchors said handle to said panel,

said bar being secured to said top panel at points outside and beyond the region between said shackles.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

